Infant feeding management system

Abstract

An infant feeding management system automatically advances a next feeding alert time to a time that is equal to a feeding time interval plus a time elapsed between the previous feeding alert time and the time at which feeding actually begun. In this way, the interval between successive feeding alert times is varied to reflect actual feeding of the infant and thereby maintain a constant interval between actual infant feeding start times and feeding alert times.

1. A system for managing a feeding of an infant, comprising:
 a clock circuit that keeps time; 
 a memory for storing a feeding time interval; 
 interface means for obtaining a start time; 
 a module operatively connected to the interface means and the memory and configured to calculate a first feeding alert time as being equal to the start time plus the feeding time interval; 
 alarm-setting means for automatically advancing a next feeding alert time to a time after the first feeding alert time that is equal to the feeding time interval plus a time elapsed by the clock circuit between the first feeding alert time and a next start time obtained through the interface, such that the alarm-setting means varies the interval between successive feeding alert times to reflect actual feeding of the infant and thereby maintains a constant interval between actual infant feeding start times and feeding alert times; and 
 alert means for producing a feeding alert in response to at least one of the first feeding alert time and the next feeding alert time being reached by the clock circuit. 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface means obtains the start time together with an indication of whether a left breast, a right breast, or a bottle is being used; wherein the memory stores the indication; and the system further comprises:
 a toggle module operatively connected to the interface means and the memory and configured to report through the interface means a preferred breast based on the indication obtained just prior to the next start time at least at the time of the next feeding alert time. 
 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface means obtains the start time together with an indication of whether a left breast, a right breast, or a bottle is being used, and a stop time; wherein the memory stores the indication together with the start time and the stop time; and the system further comprises:
 a balance module operatively connected to the interface means and the memory and configured to report through the interface means a preferred breast based on the start and stop times associated with each breast at least at the time of the next feeding alert time. 
 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 communication means for sending stored data to a remote storage device. 
 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface means obtains the start time together with an indication of whether a left breast, a right breast, or a bottle is being used, and a stop time; wherein the memory stores the indication together with the start time and the stop time, wherein the module is further configured to calculate, a historical production data for each of the left and right breasts and to use the historical production data to report through the interface means a preferred breast at least at the time of the next feeding alert time. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display for displaying at least one of a current time, the feeding time interval, the first feeding alert time, and the next feeding alert time. 
 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the feeding alert is at least one of an audible tone, a vibration, a visible indication, a music recording, and a voice recording. 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the module is further configured to trigger a backup alarm in the event that, in the absence of a feeding start-time being input, a prescribed period of time elapses after the feeding time alarm has triggered.